Circus | Tina Barry

After the measles stopped scratching my teacher Mrs. Schwartz takes me to the Barnum and Bailey’s Circus She takes Me none of the other girls This is my first circus I am so tired because I couldn’t sleep Mrs. Schwartz drives and sings Frére Jacques and then we both sing Frére Jacques A woman drives next to us and smiles I move close to Mrs. Schwartz I want the woman to think I am Mrs. Schwartz’s daughter

When we get there two clowns are smoking cigarettes outside One sees me and squeezes his big red nose Behind a curtain I can see a bearded lady who is smaller than I am There are pictures of man twins that share one body and dead babies in jars that I do not want to see elephants wear flowers around their necks and march in a circle one big tiger climbs up a little ladder I feel sorry for it A man with a big curly mustache wants him to jump through a ring of fire The tiger does not want to jump so the man cracks the whip